Chris, these hard men wouldn't blub

American heavyweight boxer Chris Arreola is 6'4" of densely packed muscle. This week before the toughest of the world's tough guys - Arnie, Sylvester - he fought like a tiger for the heavyweight championship of the world.

American heavyweight boxer Chris Arreola is 6'4" of densely packed muscle. This week before the toughest of the world's tough guys - Arnie, Sylvester - he fought like a tiger for the heavyweight championship of the world.

Pummelled - literally - into second place he acted as befits any modern day contender for glory.

He bawled.

The big man bawled like a boot camp reject on the X Factor.

OK, so his face was a mess.

And after the "emotional roller coaster," "incredible journey", blah blah blah of the competition, most of us might also have found ourselves gulping a bit too.

But the boxer's unashamed bawling also poses the question ... Is there no competitor - whether in talent show or sport - who can control him or herself anymore? You sort of expect howling distress from reality television contestants.

On the X Factor it's all but compulsory. Even the boy who lost his voice in auditions managed to squeak out some tear-stained dismay this week.